Follow these simple steps to care for your wood fence gate.
While a wood fence gate won’t be falling off of its hinges anytime soon, wear and tear can start to show on the gate if you neglect regular maintenance. The gate is a crucial part of your fence, and just as essential to maintain as the rest of the structure. Fortunately, a wood fence gate is easy to maintain with a few touch-ups every once in a while. Read on for a few tips for how to maintain your wood fence’s gate.
Regularly Clean and Inspect the Wood Fence Gate
At least once a year, you should wash down your fence and your fence gate with a hose. Before or after you clean, you can inspect the fence up close for appearances of rot in the wood or rust on the gate hinges. Deterioration shouldn’t appear until many years after the fence is built, but if you spot it, you should address the problem right away.
Check the Wood Fence Gate Opener
If you have an automatic opener on your gate, make sure it is in good working condition. Once you have washed the fence, you should inspect underneath the cover that houses the electronic component of the automatic gate opener. Make sure you don’t see any erosion or popped capacitors that need repair. You always want to check for bugs and remove any that may have “moved in” there. Adding a few mothballs can help deter insects from interfering with the electrical wiring.
Make Sure the Safety Features Are Working
Safety is essential for any fence, and your wood fence gate is designed to be secure. Checking the security features on your wood fence gate can be as simple as checking the locks to make sure they are working. For an automatic gate, this is especially important. You should also place a sign facing the street warning people that this is an automatic gate, so they don’t accidentally cause its opening. You should also do tests to make sure that the gate will stop if it hits something, rather than continuing to close.
Taking these small, simple steps to keep your wood fence gate functional and in good physical condition is critical for keeping an overall practical and attractive home fence.
Residential Fences for Your Home from Hercules Fence DC
Hercules Fence DC has been providing homeowners with quality fences for over 50 years. We are well equipped to meet your needs, whether they are residential or commercial. We have extensive experience working with families and pet owners to keep the most important members of their home safe, so call us today about installing a new pet fence for your family. Contact us by giving us a call at 301-441-1600 or visiting us online. To see examples of our work, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Flickr.
